Some years ago I heard Tom and Ray Magliozzi–the humorous polymaths who host Car Talk on NPR–clue in an exasperated caller to their theory of customer service: Half the companies out there are like Honda – so rarely do they encounter a problem that when they do, the startled dealer is woefully unprepared to handle […]
The Car Talk theorem of customer service Read More »
Consciously striving to create a positive corporate culture may sound like a fluffy, expensive frill. But it brings hard-nosed, impossible-to-knock-off results. Ask Southwest Airlines: A host of low-cost, short-haul competitors (Remember United’s “Ted” brand? What, you don’t?) Those copycats are gone now: Southwest’s culture–a culture that’s impossible for
Consciously creating your corporate culture: Just a frill? Read More »
Labor Day is a good time to remember: you’ll never achieve great customer service without great employees – treated in the manner they deserve. There’s no shortcut here, no way to “game” this. The overlap between the “greatest companies to work for” and the companies with the highest-rated customer service is enormous. Container Store, Costco,
Labor Day, customer service, and serving your employees Read More »
DYPII : Did You Plug It In? Photo and article © Micah Solomon The language of service recovery When a customer contacts you to complain about your service, or needs your help in addressing a service-related breakdown – what I call “service recovery” – there is almost nothing that matters more to your ultimate success
The 5 words you can NEVER say in customer service: "Did you plug it in?" Read More »
By Micah Solomon – keynote speaker, customer service speaker, customer service consultant, and #1 bestselling author of “Exceptional Service, Exceptional Profit: The Secrets of Building a Five-Star Customer Service Organization.” Visit with Micah at https://customerserviceguru.com When visiting the postcard-perfect town of Bar Harbor, Maine, I’ve noticed that a social virus of sorts has spread from
No food, no drink (and no customers) allowed! Read More »
By Micah Solomon – keynote speaker, customer service speaker, customer service consultant, and #1 bestselling author of “Exceptional Service, Exceptional Profit: The Secrets of Building a Five-Star Customer Service Organization.” Visit with Micah at https://customerserviceguru.com If you were here with me right now, the first thing I’d need to do [if you really want to
Learning customer service (and serial positions) by being blindfolded Read More »
It’s important to be aware that service begins when a customer comes in contact with you–it doesn’t always wait for you to make intentional contact with the customer. For example: suppose you’re the manager for the suburban superstore below – Suburban superstore – broad view from sidewalk approach ———— and a customer has just pulled
Customer service begins BEFORE you think it does Read More »
By Micah Solomon – keynote speaker, customer service speaker, customer service consultant, and #1 bestselling author of “Exceptional Service, Exceptional Profit: The Secrets of Building a Five-Star Customer Service Organization.” Visit with Micah at https://customerserviceguru.com Funerary art: Hermes guiding the departed Myrrhine Not that it comes down to this often, in most lines of work.
The ultimate reason to be nice to a customer Read More »
By Micah Solomon – keynote speaker, customer service speaker, customer service consultant, and #1 bestselling author of “Exceptional Service, Exceptional Profit: The Secrets of Building a Five-Star Customer Service Organization.” Visit with Micah at https://customerserviceguru.com A warm welcome, 30th St. Station Philadelphia When you give a warm welcome (or you don’t) to what you think
Barriers to entry bar more customers than you think. Read More »
By Micah Solomon – keynote speaker, customer service speaker, customer service consultant, and #1 bestselling author of “Exceptional Service, Exceptional Profit: The Secrets of Building a Five-Star Customer Service Organization.” Visit with Micah at https://customerserviceguru.com Quick, think: Who is the first and last person your customers talk to when they’re on your premises, or on
Department of First and Last Impressions Read More »